Munda Point Airfield (New Georgia)

[ww2instc]

I've got a question regarding Munda Point Airfield at New Georgia. I need some more information about this airfield.

Who can help me with the following questions:
- What Japanese defense and armory was there (troops, AA guns,...)?
- Does somebody got more pictures of the defense, and how the air base looked like during the Japanese occupation?
- Exactly what Japanese planes were stationed there?

 

[Hardlydank]

Here's some great articles: 1. The Solomons Campaign: Ground Action – The New Georgia Campaign, June 20-November 3, 1943 . 2. Northern Solomons . 3. New Georgia . The second one goes the most in-depth from what I saw. As for which planes were there, this website shows a lot of them: Pacific Wrecks

 

[taly01]

From my notes and memory of earlier research on Munda AF, It was opened around 16 December 1942, with "some" of 15th Field AA Regiment, then on the 23 December 1942 20xZero of 252nd Kokutai were stationed there. But soon as Cactus Airforce found out they continually bombed it and the remaining Zero and pilots left or were ferried out by G3M's by 29 December 1942. Its only other notable use was by Japanese Army 11th Sentai Ki-43-I during "Operation Ke" the Japanese troop evacuations from Guadalcanal in January/February 1943.

Basically Munda AF was used as emergency and staging airfield only by the Japanese.

Pacific Wrecks

As you can see it was bombed....alot! The other drawback was limited access by the sea due to reefs and many small islands blocking large ships.

 

[SaparotRob]

From my notes and memory of earlier research on Munda AF, It was opened around 16 December 1942, with "some" of 15th Field AA Regiment, then on the 23 December 1942 20xZero of 252nd Kokutai were stationed there. But soon as Cactus Airforce found out they continually bombed it and the remaining Zero and pilots left or were ferried out by G3M's by 29 December 1942. Its only other notable use was by Japanese Army 11th Sentai Ki-43-I during "Operation Ke" the Japanese troop evacuations from Guadalcanal in January/February 1943.

Basically Munda AF was used as emergency and staging airfield only by the Japanese.

Pacific Wrecks

As you can see it was bombed....alot! The other drawback was limited access by the sea due to reefs and many small islands blocking large ships.

I just read your post. I can visit Henderson Field? That just got added to my bucket list!

 

[taly01]

I've got a question regarding Munda Point Airfield at New Georgia. I need some more information about this airfield.

Who can help me with the following questions:
- What Japanese defense and armory was there (troops, AA guns,...)?

.......18x75mm, 50x25mm, 20x40mm, single and twin mounts. A large number of the machine guns.....

see below

Interrogation of: Lieut. Comdr. YUNOKI, S., IJN, main battery fire control director on HIEI (BB) at Battle of GUADALCANAL, 12-14 November 1942; gunnery officer on DD at Battle of MIDWAY, escorting transports; gunnery officer at MUNDA, February-June 1943.

https://www.history.navy.mil/resear...errogations-japanese-officials-voli.html#no46

....
Q. How many fields did you have at MUNDA?
A. Two. One at MUNDA and one at KOLOMBANGARA. We had 24 fighters based there but they were all damaged a week after their arrival. After that, planes did not base there. It was used to service planes from RABAUL after attacking GUADALCANAL.

Q. How many anti-aircraft guns did you have there?
A. 18x75mm, 50x25mm, 20x40mm, single and twin mounts. A large number of the machine guns which gave better results against dive-bombers. We think we shot down about 300 planes during the 5 month period beginning February.
..............

 

[Jeffrey Ethell Collection]

You said what Japanese AF units were stationed at Munda airfield.

IJAAF (Army AF)

Ki-43 Hayabusa (OSCAR) fighter No 11 Hiko sentai
Ki-48 Sokei (LILY) bomber No 208 Hiko sentai
Ki-48 Sokei (LILY) bomber No 45 Hiko sentai

IJNAF (Navy AF)

A6M3 Zero-sen (HAP later ZEKE) fighter No 204 Kokutai (wreck pic above)
A6M2 Zero-sen (ZEKE) fighter No 252 Kokutai
A6M2 Zero-sen (ZEKE) fighter No 582 Kokutai

Some D3A2 Kanbaku (VAL) dive bomber A/c may have staged through Munda to bomb Guadalcanal in late 1942 through early 1943

As previously noted the best link is Pacific Wrecks

JEC